Electronic card and detecting method thereof

Abstract

An electronic card and a detecting method are provided. The electronic card includes a connector. The detecting method detects whether an output signal from a host is received by Pin 41, Pin 43, Pin 47 and Pin 49 of the connector, or Pin 29, Pin 31, Pin 35 and Pin 37 of the connector, or Pin 17, Pin 19, Pin 23 and Pin 25 of the connector, or Pin 5, Pin 7, 11 and Pin 13 of the connector. According to the detecting result and the output signal, the electronic card judges the communication protocol of the host is a SATA communication protocol, a PCIe communication protocol or a USB3.0 communication protocol.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A detecting method for an electronic card, the electronic card having a connector supporting a SATA communication protocol, a PCIe communication protocol and a USB 3.0 communication protocol, the electronic card receiving an output signal from a host through at least one of plural pins of the connector, the detecting method comprising steps of:
 (a) detecting whether the output signal is received by Pin 17, Pin 19, Pin 23 and Pin 25 or Pin 5, Pin 7, Pin 11 and Pin 13; 
 (b) if a detecting result of the step (a) is satisfied, judging that a communication protocol of the host is the PCIe communication protocol and ending the detecting method; 
 (c) if the detecting result of the step (a) is not satisfied, detecting whether the output signal is received by Pin 41, Pin 43, Pin 47 and Pin 49; 
 (d) if a detecting result of the step (c) is satisfied, judging that the communication protocol of the host is the PCIe communication protocol or the SATA communication protocol according to the output signal and ending the detecting method; 
 (e) if the detecting result of the step (c) is not satisfied, detecting whether the output signal is received by Pin 29, Pin 31, Pin 35 and Pin 37; and 
 (f) if a detecting result of the step (e) is satisfied, judging that the communication protocol of the host is the PCIe communication protocol or the USB 3.0 communication protocol according to the output signal and ending the detecting method, wherein if the detecting result of the step (e) is not satisfied, the detecting method is ended. 
 
     
     
       2. The detecting method according to  claim 1 , wherein in the step (d), the detecting method further comprises a step of confirming that the communication protocol of the host is the PCIe communication protocol according to a voltage difference range. 
     
     
       3. The detecting method according to  claim 1 , wherein in the step (d), the detecting method further comprises a step of confirming that the communication protocol of the host is the SATA communication protocol according to a voltage difference range. 
     
     
       4. The detecting method according to  claim 1 , wherein in the step (f), the detecting method further comprises a step of confirming that the communication protocol of the host is the PCIe communication protocol according to a voltage difference range. 
     
     
       5. The detecting method according to  claim 1 , wherein in the step (f), the detecting method further comprises a step of confirming that the communication protocol of the host is the USB 3.0 communication protocol according to a voltage difference range. 
     
     
       6. The detecting method according to  claim 1 , wherein in the step (d), the detecting method further comprises a step of judging whether a communication protocol of the output signal is the PCIe communication protocol or the SATA communication protocol according to a signal definition of a physical layer, wherein if the communication protocol of the output signal is the PCIe communication protocol, the communication protocol of the host is judged as the PCIe communication protocol, wherein if the communication protocol of the output signal is the SATA communication protocol, the communication protocol of the host is judged as the SATA communication protocol. 
     
     
       7. The detecting method according to  claim 1 , wherein in the step (f), the detecting method further comprises a step of judging whether a communication protocol of the output signal is the PCIe communication protocol or the USB 3.0 communication protocol according to a signal definition of a physical layer, wherein if the communication protocol of the output signal is the PCIe communication protocol, the communication protocol of the host is judged as the PCIe communication protocol, wherein if the communication protocol of the output signal is the USB 3.0 communication protocol, the communication protocol of the host is judged as the USB 3.0 communication protocol. 
     
     
       8. A detecting method for an electronic card, the electronic card having a connector supporting a SATA communication protocol, a PCIe communication protocol and a USB 3.0 communication protocol, the electronic card receiving an output signal from a host through at least one of plural pins of the connector, the detecting method comprising steps of:
 (a) defining a first detecting operation, a second detecting operation and a third detecting operation, and detecting whether the output signal is received by the corresponding pins of the connector when the first detecting operation, the second detecting operation or the third detecting operation is performed, wherein when the first detecting operation is performed, the electronic card detects whether the output signal is received by Pin 5, Pin 7, Pin 11 and Pin 13 or Pin 17, Pin 19, Pin 23 and Pin 25 of the connector  11 , and the communication protocol of the host is judged as the PCIe communication protocol if a detecting result of the first detecting operation is satisfied, wherein when the second detecting operation is performed, the electronic card detects whether the output signal is received by Pin 41, Pin 43, Pin 47 and Pin 49, and the communication protocol of the host is judged as the PCIe communication protocol or the SATA communication protocol if a detecting result of the second detecting operation is satisfied, wherein when the third detecting operation is performed, the electronic card detects whether the output signal is received by Pin 29, Pin 31, Pin 35 and Pin 37, the communication protocol of the host is judged as the PCIe communication protocol or the USB3.0 communication protocol if a detecting result of the third detecting operation is satisfied; 
 (b) performing any detecting operation of the first detecting operation, the second detecting operation and the third detecting operation, wherein if the communication protocol of the host is recognized, the detecting method is ended; 
 (c) if the communication protocol of the host is not recognized in the step (b), performing another detecting operation of the first detecting operation, the second detecting operation and the third detecting operation, wherein if the communication protocol of the host is recognized, the detecting method is ended; and 
 (d) if the communication protocol of the host is not recognized in the step (c), performing a remaindering detecting operation of the first detecting operation, the second detecting operation and the third detecting operation, and then ending the detecting method. 
 
     
     
       9. The detecting method according to  claim 8 , wherein in the step (b), the first detecting operation is performed. 
     
     
       10. The detecting method according to  claim 9 , wherein in the step (c), the second detecting operation is performed. 
     
     
       11. The detecting method according to  claim 8 , wherein if the output signal is received by Pin 41, Pin 43, Pin 47 and Pin 49 when the second detecting operation is performed, the communication protocol of the host is judged as the PCIe communication protocol according to a voltage difference range. 
     
     
       12. The detecting method according to  claim 8 , wherein if the output signal is received by Pin 41, Pin 43, Pin 47 and Pin 49 when the second detecting operation is performed, the communication protocol of the host is judged as the SATA communication protocol according to a voltage difference range. 
     
     
       13. The detecting method according to  claim 8 , wherein if the output signal is received by Pin 29, Pin 31, Pin 35 and Pin 37 when the third detecting operation is performed, the communication protocol of the host is judged as the PCIe communication protocol according to a voltage difference range. 
     
     
       14. The detecting method according to  claim 8 , wherein if the output signal is received by Pin 29, Pin 31, Pin 35 and Pin 37 when the third detecting operation is performed, the communication protocol of the host is judged as the USB 3.0 communication protocol according to a voltage difference range. 
     
     
       15. The detecting method according to  claim 8 , wherein if the output signal is received by Pin 41, Pin 43, Pin 47 and Pin 49 when the second detecting operation is performed, the electronic card further detects whether a communication protocol of the output signal is the PCIe communication protocol or the SATA communication protocol according to a signal definition of a physical layer, wherein if the communication protocol of the output signal is the PCIe communication protocol, the communication protocol of the host is judged as the PCIe communication protocol, wherein if the communication protocol of the output signal is the SATA communication protocol, the communication protocol of the host is judged as the SATA communication protocol. 
     
     
       16. The detecting method according to  claim 8 , wherein if the output signal is received by Pin 29, Pin 31, Pin 35 and Pin 37 when the third detecting operation is performed, the electronic card further detects whether a communication protocol of the output signal is the PCIe communication protocol or the USB 3.0 communication protocol according to a signal definition of a physical layer, wherein if the communication protocol of the output signal is the PCIe communication protocol, the communication protocol of the host is judged as the PCIe communication protocol, wherein if the communication protocol of the output signal is the USB 3.0 communication protocol, the communication protocol of the host is judged as the USB 3.0 communication protocol.